Kagami No Miko
Fushigi Yuugi Genbu Kaiden Gaiden: Kagami no Miko (The Mysterious Play Story of Genbu: Mirror Priestess) ''is the 1st ''Fushigi Yuugi video game. The story simply revolves about Takiko Okuda helping a normal high-school named Kobayashi Mariko along with her warriors to return to her own world after being whisked away into The Universe of the Four gods along with her friend through a mirror. It is at its core a conversational simulation and an interactive story. Thus the game follows the usual standards, offering little innovation outside the combat system. It is a fairly long game, with the classic replay of these products, which is based on choosing a different male character to approach more to change the story protagonists. Battle System Based on the original manga, the story is about a young girl, Mariko, experiencing a time-shifting incident. The game is full of simple conversations but a battle system is presented where two shiny spheres rotate around a ring. Locations on the ring indicate the cue points on which to tap in order to trigger a sword strike by one of Mariko's allies. Botch the cues and suffer from missed chances as well as the thunder from retaliatory attacks. The battle can be fought on any of the characters at the player's choice. This also allows the player to be able to fight Uruki (Rimudo) as a man or woman. A "y", "x", "a", and "b" will appear below. When the orb is on the player's side, hit "B" only when he/she has a mini-circle. It will help fill up the bar in "A". When the enemy has mini-orbs on their side, press "X" to cause damage to their HP. Press "B" on the side, and try to fill up the "A"s in the bar. Press "A" when the screen flashes. This will land a critical hit on the enemy. Enhancing Relationships There is another important choice given to the player from time to time, and which serves to enhance her relationship with one of the male partners, since it allows her to choose one before the start of each episode of the game. This, together with the other choices the player will make during the game will determine who the player ends up with by linking them more, like typical Japanese Otome games. Mission Apparently, in any of the routes the player will take someone, probably Hikitsu will reveal that Mariko's existence in the world depends on the mirror, which will lose its power in ten days. Within that period of days, the Genbu Seven and Mariko should find a way to get out. Game Menu and Character System The game menu allows you to play a fresh, new game, and a "continue" option is also available where you can continue from where you started off. "Save" option will be introduced as well, where the player can stop the game anytime. To save, the player must tap "A" on the top bar of the second character. Then the next thing to do is press "A" on the second box. Press "A" on a file normally starting out for the first time playing they will be blank. Choose the first option then hit "A" again. Choose the highlighted box then click "A". The other choice will reset the cartridge. To go back to your game press "B". There is also another option when you can view the Drama CD and other bonus packages. This is where the player can choose a character to play, and the route (the red bar on each character) will increase depending on how much you play him. The most powerful playable characters are Tomite's and Hikitsu's. To choose a route, press "A" on the character or guy of your choice then press "B" at the bottom of the screen. Depending on which character's route you choose, the story alters. The story will also depend on the player's choices depending on where you decide to go or what you decide to do. There are also some battles where the player can choose if he/she wants to fight or not. If he wants to fight, he will hit #1. If not, he will hit #2. Story The game opens in the real world. There are many introductions in Mariko's and Takumi's house, so they go to an old antique shop. This is where they find the mirror that takes them in the book. The screen will turn black, and they find themselves in a tunnel or cave. They ask each other about it but neither seems to know what is going on. Mariko decides to look at the mirror for clues and explore the cave, but A black-haired girl is reflected in the mirror instead. Suddenly a blue light comes out of the mirror and the screen turns black once again. After a few moments, the screen will turn white as Takumi screams out and asks Mariko if she's okay. Now they find themselves in a dry, desolate place. While they talk they will see a hooded boy who is really a member of the Kutou Special Taskforce. The soldier implies that the two friends are from the Genbu crew and starts to get angry. Takumi and Mariko are confused, which left Takumi to say no. After an argument, the player will meet Uruki. Uruki will ask who they are and where they're from since their clothes are different. The screen will turn black again and opens in a forest. Uruki introduces himself and tells them about the forest. As they talk, Tomite appears. He barely greets them and rudely speaks out "what are these". Tomite calls Takiko, and Takiko appears alongside Uruki. They too are confused about what's happened, so they talk and ask questions. They will talk longer. Hikitsu also appears, who explains the matter longer as they go in deeper into the forest. He concludes that Mariko and Takumi are from a completely different world and he will also explain that they came from the mirror, which will lose its power in ten days: they will have to find a way to get the both of them out within that period. Takiko tells the friends of her quest. The sun is setting and they decide to take a "trip" around the world. After that Uruki leads them to a cave, probably to rest, but they talk longer as it completely goes dark. The next day, Takumi is captured by the cult (the same time when Shigi and Shura will appear) and the warriors will help Mariko find him, and regardless of what route you take Mariko will see him eventually in a way (When Shigi or Shura's route is taken, Takumi will be summoned to talk to Mariko. In Hikitsu, Tomite, and Uruki's route, the warriors will ambush the cult's cave and will fight dirtily until the poison Takumi is drugged with will be fended off.) After the battle with the cult, Mariko will spend some time in a tent with the protector she will choose (typically Takumi or Shigi and Shura) and she will take care of the protector until the tenth day; the last day she can remain in the world. Routes The player (representing Mariko in the game) can choose who she will end up with, like typical Otome games. There are a total of 6 routes, but only one of the five (Takumi's route) allows Mariko to leave the world with her choice. Also, a "neutral" route is introduced, which doesn't require Mariko to fall in love with any of them, but instead, she will enhance her bond with Takiko and help her get together with Uruki in the ending before she leaves. *'Uruki' — Uruki is one of the players Mariko can choose, though this route is not very famous among fans. The ending Uruki should face when Mariko leaves is a future with Takiko instead, just like in the manga. A little relationship is shown between these two because Takiko is present, though they both do not get along well. *'Tomite' — One of the most famous routes. Tomite's is rather the simplest of all, but the climax that he will get does not change. *'Hikitsu' — Another of the most famous routes. Hikitsu's story in the game is ultimately linked with Shigi's and Shura's. It is only during the sunset ending when they are able to profess their love (if the player chooses to) and it is also the day when Mariko will leave. *'Shigi' — One of the most famous routes. The relationship is very strained as this is a Romeo and Juliet sort of bond. This route involves Shura and Hikitsu a lot, but in the end, Mariko still leaves without him. *'Shura' — Another of the most famous routes. At first, Shura acts very hostile to Mariko and few scenes are shown when they are having a good time. This route doesn't allow the 13-year-old to profess his love for her until he dies in the ending. *'Takumi Mochitsuki' — A rather conflicted route. Takumi is poisoned and will join the enemy's side for more than 8 of the ten days. This route involves almost all the characters and tells more about the foreign cult. Because he is a human and because he is from Mariko's world, he is the only one who can stay with her after the both of them leave the book. Portrait System As a curious point, images of the protagonists change of expression as they are saying, giving an interesting expression. Unfortunately, players do not find anything as spectacular graphics and lighting effects, based mainly in presenting scenes vignettes as if it were, coming very close to being an interactive manga. Music The opening and ending themes vary in different versions. In the PS2 version, Cross is used for the ending theme and Scramble is used for the ending theme. In the PSP version, Scramble is used for the opening theme, and Hallelujah is used for the ending. * All the songs in the PS2 and PSP version of the games are performed by Yonekura Chihiro. Sound Effects The sound effect is quite normal, with different compositions depending on when characters meet. However, it is only background music and occasional special effects. Certain phrases are bent in perfect Japanese, but not too much. Origin It is quite intuitive that the conflict of the game is based on the legendary 5th god, the yellow river dragon. As the battles in the game went on, it has become apparent that it is not the Kutou army that wants to hunt them down; but instead, it is the foreign cult that abducts Takumi on the first day, the cult who wants to take Mariko and make her their priestess (to summon the yellow dragon). Gallery See also Suzaku Ibun Navigation Category:Games Category:Media Category:Anime Category:Manga Category:Genbu Category:Fushigi Yuugi Genbu Kaiden: Kagami no Miko Characters Category:Fushigi Yuugi Genbu Kaiden Category:Celestial Warriors of Genbu Category:Content Category:Characters Category:Supporting Characters Category:Fushigi Yuugi Genbu Kaiden Characters